Shower apparatus

ABSTRACT

Shower apparatus has nozzles provided with a valve member movable between spray and purge positions relative to an outlet and spring biased toward the purge position, the valve member being moved between spray and purge positions by changes in the spray fluid pressure in the conduit to which the nozzles are connected. Passage means in the nozzle provides fluid flow from the outlet in both purge and spray positions of the valve member and in its spray position also provides fluid flow between the valve member and the nozzle body to flush out debris.

United States Patent [191 Baker Apr. 30, 1974 SHOWER APPARATUS 2,998,9349/1961 'Broughton 239 550 x [75] Inventor: Donald B. Baker, Foxboro,Mass.

Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr. Asslgnee? Bll'd Machine Company, -9South, Assistant ExaminerAndres Kashnikow wolpole, Mass- Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Edgar H. Kent [22] Filed: Oct. 12, 1972 [52] US. Cl.239/109, 239/550 [51] Int. Cl B05b 15/02 [58] Field of Search 239/108,109, 452, 550, 239/551, 534, 579

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,203,629 8/1965 Goddard239/108 2,803,499 8/1957 Goyette et a1. 239/452 X 2,954,170 9/1960Goyette et a]. 239/109 3,061,199 10/1962 Billeter 239/452 X 24 M 44 l4 TAppl. No.: 296,782

[57] ABSTRACT Shower apparatus has nozzles provided with a valve membermovable between spray and purge positions relative to an outlet andspring biased toward the purge position, the valve member being movedbetween spray and purge positions by changes in'the spray fluid pressurein the conduit to which the noz- 'zles are connected. Passage means inthe nozzle provides fluid flow from the outlet in both purge and spraypositions of the valve member and in its spray position also providesfluid flow between the valve member and the nozzle body to'flush outdebris.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SHOWER APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates toshowerapparatus having spray nozzles containing a valve member movable betweena restricted flow position for spray, and an enlarged flow purgeposition for cleaning, by changing the pressure in a single manifoldtowhich the nozzles are connected. In particular, the invention concernssuch apparatus wherein the nozzles are of the type in which the valvemembers are moved inone directionagainst the action of a spring byproviding a predetermined fluid pressure within the manifold, and aremoved in the opposite direction by shutting off or reducing the fluidpressure in the manifold.

2. Description of the Prior Art Nozzles of the type concerned arecommercially available in which the nozzle has a cylindrical hollow bodyhaving one end exposed to the fluid in the manifold and the other endopening outside the manifold. A cylindrical valve member of smallerdiameter than the inner diameter of the nozzle body and having an axialopening for the passage of fluid thereth rough exposed to the manifoldfluid at one end, is mounted for axial movement in the body. A springconnected between the body and the valve member resists movement of-thevalve member toward the external open end of the nozzle body. A cap onthe external end of the nozzle body is arranged to partially close theoutlet end of the opening through the valve member when such member ismoved to its spray position with its end abutting the cap by sufficientfluid pressure in the manifold. On shutting off or reducing the fluidpressure, the valve member is moved away from the cap by the spring sothat the outlet of its opening is enlarged, permitting debris that mayhave accumulated in the opening to be flushed out. An example of suchtype of nozzle is shown in US. Pat. No. 2,954,170. 1

Difficulty has been experienced with nozzles as just described in thatwhen used with fluid containing appreciable debris, such as paper millWhite water, they tend to jam so that the valve member no longer movesas required and the nozzle becomes inoperative for its intended purpose.It has been ascertained that a primary cause of this difficulty has beenexposure of the clearance between the valve member and the nozzle bodyat their outlet ends to the fluid being sprayed so that debris is suckedin between them by the retraction stroke of the valve member and nomeans is provided for flushing it out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of this invention is to provideshower apparatus with spray nozzles of the type concerned of improvedconstruction whereby the aforementioned difficulty is overcome.

The invention features a nozzle construction for such apparatus whereinthere is provided passage means effective on movement of the valvemember to purge position, to provide a flow of fluid about the end-ofthe valve member adjacent the nozzle outlet to purge debris from betweenthe valve member and the nozzle body. In this way, debris accumulationwhich would inhibit reciprocal movements of the valve member in thenozzle body is prevented.

- respondingly curved inner portion 50 of top 30 of cap- In a preferredembodiment, the valve member is mounted at one end on a diaphragmclosing the end of the nozzle body exposed to fluid in the conduitforming the shower manifold. The diaphragm has a resilience which biasesthe valve member to purge position, with its other end moved away fromthe nozzle outlet, with a force which is overcome by raising the fluidpressure in the conduit to spray pressure, whereupon the diaphragm isforced inwardly moving the valve member to spray position. The passagemeans includes an inlet for fluid from the conduit into the interior ofthe nozzle body and a passage in the valve member extending through theend thereof adjacent the nozzle outlet and having an inlet exposed tothe fluid'in the nozzle body. In spray position, this passage ispartially obstructed by an end cap on the nozzle body providing thedesired spray. In purge position fluid from the inlet in the nozzle bodyflows through the passage in the valve member toflush it and also flowsabout the outlet end of the valve member to flush out the debris thatmayhave accumulated between the valve member and the nozzle body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to FIG. 1,'a conduit 10 isconnected to a source of fluid' under pressure (not shown) by a valve12, which may be manually operated as shown, or automatically operated,for example, by-a timer. Conduit 10 forms a manifold for a plurality ofnozzles designated generally 14 mounted onthe conduit with their bodiesextending into the conduit and exposed to the fluid therein.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, nozzles. 14 have a body 16screw-threaded by an externally threaded portion 18 through acorrespondingly internally threaded opening 20 in conduit 10, and lockedin place by correspondingly interiorly threaded lock nut 21. A capmember designated generally 22 has a shank 24 which fits inside an endof a longitudinal opening 26 through body 16, a rim 28 which seats onthe outer end of body 16, and a top 30 which is cut away at one side toform a fluid spray outlet 32 from opening 26. Cap 22 is held in place byinternally threaded nut 33, threaded on portion 18.

The opposite end of opening 26 is closed. by a resilient diaphragm 34secured at its edge. in a slot 36 in body 16. Secured centrally todiaphragm 34 by a screw 38 is one end of a valve member 40 having anenlarged, generally spherically rounded head 42 opposite the end securedto diaphragm 34. A fluid passage 44 extending longitudinally throughhead 42 has an inlet 46through the side of valve member 40. A fluidinlet port 48 in the wall of body 16 permits fluid to .flow from conduit10 into the interior of body 16 defined by opening 26.

In the spray position of valve member 40 shown in FIG. 2, the outer endof its head 42 seats against a corfrom the nozzle. In the purge positionof the valve member shown in FIG. 3, head 42 is drawn away from surfaces50 and 52 so that there is clearance between them and also clearancebetween head 42 and shank '24. Debris that may have accumulated in theinterior of body 16, particularly between head 42 and shank 24, will nowbe flushed through the passage provided by this clearance and from thenow unrestricted outlet 32 by purge flow of fluid therethrough.Similarly, purge flow of fluid through the now unrestricted passage 44will clear it of accumulated debris.

The resilience of diaphragm 34 is such as to bias valve member 40 to itspurge position of FIG. 3 whenever the fluid pressure in conduit is belowa predetermined value, for example, p.s.i. When the fluid pressure inconduit 10 is increased above this value, valve member 40 is forced bythe increased pressure to the spray position of FIG. 2 against thetension of diaphragm 34, which will return the valve member to the purgeposition of HO. 3 when the fluid pressure in the conduit is ,againreduced below the predetermined value. It is thus possible simply andreliably to shift the valve members between spray and purge positions byproperly adjusting valve 12.

The ability of the device to flush not only the spray flow passagethrough the valve member, but also between the valve member and interiornozzle body portions with which it engages or is in close proximity inspray position, is important in preventing sticking of the valve memberdue to debris accumulations between it and the nozzle body, which hasbeen a problem with prior nozzles of this type, lacking such flushingcapability.

The nozzle shown has its outlet arranged to produce a fan spray, as iscommonly desirable. However, the device may readily be modified toproduce other forms of spray. For example, a conical spray may beproduced by designing the head of the valve member and the surroundingnozzle body portion and outlet so that in spray position fluid flows inhelical grooves between head and body, and a pin on the valve memberpartially obstructs the spray outlet, as in FIGS. l-3 of my US Pat. No.3,347,463. Nozzles according to this invention have advantages overthose of my aforesaid patent, in that they do not need a two-partmanifold which is expensive to make, and are operable without exhaustingfluid'from the manifold otherwise than from the nozzles, as may beundesirable. I

I claim:

1. Shower apparatus comprising:

a conduit adapted for connection to a source of fluid under pressure;and

nozzle means for discharging fluid as spray from said conduit, saidnozzle means having:

a body extending into the fluid in said conduit, said body having aspray outlet external to said conduit;

a valve member having an end adjacent said outlet and movable in saidbody between a spray position wherein the capacity of said spray outletis restricted and a purge position wherein said capacity is relativelyunrestricted;

spring means biasing said valve member toward said purge position with aforce less than a predetermined fluid pressure attainable in saidmanifold and supporting said valve member so that each portion thereofis spaced sufficiently from said body to permit free fluid flow betweenthem in at least one 7 of said two positions of said valve member;

means for varying the fluid pressure in said conduit above and belowsaid force to move said valve member between said positions; and

passage means providing flow of fluid from said conduit into said bodyand out said spray outlet in both said spray and purge positions of saidvalve member, and also providing flow of said fluid between each portionof said valve member and said body in one or the other of said twopositions of said valve member to purge debris from between them.

2. Shower apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said spring meanscomprises a resilient diaphragm at the end of said body extending intosaid conduit, and said valve member is secured to said diaphragm.

3. Shower apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said diaphragm closessaid end of said body, and said passage means includes a port in aportion of said body UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFKCATE OFCORREOTION 3 a 7 3 Dated April 30 197 4 l'ilLtllll. No.

Inventor(s) Donald B. Baker It is certified that error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

Col. 3, line 20, after "example," insert --30--.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of September 197M.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. Attesting, Officer C MARSHALL DANN Commissioner ofPatents IISCOMM-DC 603764 50

1. Shower apparatus comprising: a conduit adapted for connection to asource of fluid under pressure; and nozzle means for discharging fluidas spray from said conduit, said nozzle means having: a body extendinginto the fluid in said conduit, said body having a spray outlet externalto said conduit; a valve member having an end adjacent said outlet andmovable in said body between a spray position wherein the capacity ofsaid spray outlet is restricted and a purge position wherein saidcapacity is relatively unrestricted; spring means biasing said valvemember toward said purge position with a force less than a predeterminedfluid pressure attainable in said manifold and supporting said valvemember so that each portion thereof is spaced sufficiently from saidbody to permit free fluid flow between them in at least one of said twopositions of said valve member; means for varying the fluid pressure insaid conduit above and below said force to move said valve memberbetween said positions; and passage means providing flow of fluid fromsaid conduit into said body and out said spray outlet in both said sprayand purge positions of said valve member, and also providing flow ofsaid fluid between each portion of said valve member and said body inone or the other of said two positions of said valve member to purgedebris from between them.
 2. Shower apparatus according to claim 1wherein said spring means comprises a resilient diaphragm at the end ofsaid body extending into said conduit, and said valve member is securedto said diaphragm.
 3. Shower apparatus according to claim 2 wherein saiddiaphragm closes said end of said body, and said passage means includesa port in a portiOn of said body exposed to the fluid in said conduit.4. Shower apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said passage meansextends in part through said valve member and through the end thereofadjacent said outlet, said end of said valve member engaging a portionof said body in spray position to restrict the capacity of said passageand said outlet.
 5. Shower apparatus according to claim 1 wherein theend of said valve member adjacent said spray outlet has greaterclearance from said body in purge position than in spray position.